DHAKA — Tensions flared around the Dhaka Government Aliya Madrasah in Bakshibazar on Saturday as police intercepted dozens of Islami Chhatra Shibir activists attempting to march into residential halls currently occupied by rival political organization Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD).
Metropolitan police officers established heavy barricades at the Bakshibazar intersection shortly after noon, cutting off access routes leading toward campus residential quarters. The standoff persisted for more than two hours before the demonstrating activists withdrew, allowing law enforcement to dismantle the road blocks and restore traffic flow.
Background to the Territorial Dispute
The standoff is the latest chapter in an escalating territorial dispute that turned violent on 4 August at the institution’s Allama Kashgari (R.) Hall. What began as an argument over locking specific hostel rooms escalated into widespread clashes, resulting in JCD activists—supported by local Jubo Dal members—forcibly driving Shibir affiliates out of the accommodation.
Following their expulsion, Shibir officials accused JCD members of ransacking student quarters and stealing personal valuables, including laptops, cash, and motorcycles. Abdul Alim, president of the Government Aliya Madrasah unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir, criticized police officers and madrasah administrators for failing to clear the hostel of unauthorized individuals, alleging that legitimate students are being systematically turned away while armed rivals remain inside.
JCD representatives dismissed the accusations, offering a contrasting version of events. Saad Chowdhury, a JCD activist residing in the hall, insisted that Shibir members had initially stormed JCD rooms using outside operatives, forcing JCD supporters to temporarily flee before reclaiming the building. He estimated that between 60 and 70 JCD activists currently reside in the hall, adding that while the group controls the premises, they favor a structured room-allocation process overseen by college authorities.
Law Enforcement Position and Administrative Oversight
Police officials defended their deployment, explaining that security checkpoints were established strictly to avert further violent altercations on campus. Aminul Kabir, Additional Deputy Commissioner for the Lalbagh Zone of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), clarified that individual students presenting valid identity cards or examination permits are allowed entry without hindrance, but organized marches and group entries remain restricted to maintain order.
Attempts to seek clarification from campus administrators yielded little response. Hostel Provost Md. Mostafa Kamal declined to comment on hall management, directing inquiries to Assistant Principal Md. Ashraful Kabir, who remained unreachable throughout the afternoon.
Bomb Disposal Unit Inspects Suspicious Object
Adding to the tension, local residents alerted police on Saturday afternoon after finding a suspicious object wrapped in black electrical tape on the main road adjacent to Allama Kashgari Hall.
A specialized Bomb Disposal Unit from the DMP’s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) branch arrived at the scene to examine and neutralize the item. Muhammad Talebur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of the DMP Lalbagh Zone, subsequently confirmed that the package posed no operational danger, adding that security patrols will remain active around the madrasah compound to preserve stability.
